The Future of Freedom Conference

The Future of Freedom II: The 1980s: Freedom or Slavery was held at Cypress College April 19–20, 1980, with a banquet at the Buena Park Holiday Inn. Main speakers included the following:

Karl Hess, speechwriter for Senator Barry Goldwater, market anarchist, and author of ''Dear America''; Robert Anton Wilson, author of the ''Illuminatus! trilogy''; John Hospers, USC philosophy professor; Prof. Arthur B. Laffer, economist and originator of the "Laffer Curve"; John Matonis, tax-resistance attorney; J. Neil Schulman, science fiction writer of ''Alongside Night''; David Bergland, attorney and vice presidential candidate in 1976 on the Libertarian Party ticket; Anthony Hargis, author and business entrepreneur; John Pugsley, investment advisor and author of best-seller ''Common Sense Economics''; Linda Abrams, constitutional attorney and member of the Rampart Institute board; Prof. Bob McGinley, alternative lifestyles psychologist; Sandy Shakocius (a.k.a. Sandy Shaw), life-extensionist and biochemist; Shawn Steel, a founder of the Future of Freedom Conference Series; Carl Nicolai, electronics designer and inventor; Kenneth Grubbs, Jr., editorial editor of ''The Register'' in Orange County, and Janice Allen, Libertarian Party activist, emceed the event.

The Saturday banquet paid tribute to libertarian pacifist, author, TV/radio broadcaster, and founder of Rampart College, Robert LeFevre, who received the Future of Freedom Award. Another award, the Ludwig von Mises Merit of Honor Award was presented to Dana Rohrabacher, one of the early organizers of the Future of Freedom Conference series.

A film festival included ''For a New Liberty'', ''Libra'', ''The Inflation File'', and Theo Kamecke directed ''The Incredible Bread Machine''.

Debates pitted notable opposites, including the following:

Lowell Ponte, radio commentator and book reviewer for the ''Los Angeles Times'', debated Jon Wiener, left-leaning history professor. George H. Smith, author, Objectivist and atheist debated Jeffrey Johnson, conservative Catholic. Samuel Konkin III, author, agorist and market anarchist debated Manny Klausner, attorney and Libertarian Party leader.

1980's The Future of Freedom II: The 1980s: Freedom or Slavery? conference was organized by Lawrence Samuels, founder of Society for Libertarian Life, president of Rampart Institute and owner of Athena Graphics, plus Jane Heider-Samuels, board member of Rampart Institute; and Howard Hinman, editor of Society for Libertarian Life newsletter ''Libertas Review: A Journal of Peace and Liberty''. The conference was sponsor by the Society for Libertarian Life, Cypress College Libertarian Club, California Libertarian Alliance, and Society for Individual Liberty. Athena Graphics in Santa Ana provided the graphics. Provided by Wikipedia